Composites manufacturer BFG Africa has appointed Bongani Khoza as MD, with effect from January 3, to lead the company's expansion plans into the automotive, rail and renewable energy sectors in Southern Africa.

“The appointment of Bongani comes at a critical phase in our growth trajectory. He has vast experience in managing large manufacturing plants. We believe he is an ideal industry leader to take our business forward as we scale up production and diversify into other sectors of the South African economy,” BFG Africa chairperson Masimo-A-Badimo Magerman says.

Khoza will further entrench BFG’s position in the South Africa automotive industry. The company is currently in talks with one of the vehicle makers with a view to securing a components supply contract.

BFG Africa is majority black-owned by diversified financial services group the Mergence Group, which acquired its stake in 2018 as part of its diversification into the South African industrial sector to bolster South Africa’s manufacturing capacity.

BFG operates a 9 500 m² factory, in Germiston, producing materials made of fibre-reinforced plastic for applications across the infrastructure, mining, automotive, transport and architectural sectors. The materials are durable, lightweight and environment-friendly.

For its initial contract, entered into with the Gibela Alstom Consortium, BFG Africa was contracted to clad the interiors of a fleet of 600 commuter trains.

To date, BFG has designed and manufactured the interiors of 51 commuter trains, of which 34 were completed in 2021 at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. Further, BFG grew employment from 27 employees in 2019 to 104 currently during this same period.

Before joining BFG, Khoza was an operational improvement specialist at Gibela Rail, responsible for optimising production and helping Gibela suppliers improve operational performance and comply with the train production standards and requirements. Khoza is a chemical engineer.